Spicy Beef Stew

Another not so fantastic picture.  The lack of lighting in the winter is killing me!  We are GOing to buy some lights to help my pictures look better!

This stew turned out really well and usually any kind of soup is not looked upon favorably in my home but my husband was mmm-ing while he was eating and said I should make this more often so I'll take that as a good thing.

I had some cheap steak in the freezer that I wanted to use up so I planned to make a recipe my friend gave me a long time ago called "Chili Spiced Stew".  Then at 4 pm when I started making my dinner I couldn't find the recipe so I just threw it together and tried to write everything down that I did.  It wasn't really "spicy" to us because we like things really hot, but feel free to add less red pepper to yours.

Spicy Beef Stew

1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast, london broil, or stew meat cut into 1'' cubes
chili powder, granulated garlic, salt & pepper
2 Tb olive oil or vegetable oil
1 c. red wine
1 28 oz can tomato puree
3 cans beef broth
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tb dried oregano
2 Tb brown sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp chili powder
sea salt & pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp salt and go from there)
dash or more of cayenne pepper
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 c. frozen corn
1 c. frozen green beans

Season the cubed beef well with chili powder, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic.  Measure the flour into a large ziploc bag and shake it well to coat.  In a soup pot heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides.  Add in the wine and reduce heat tomedium and cook for 5 minutes.  Then add in broth, onion, garlic, tomato puree, brown sugar, oregano, crushed red pepper, chili powder, salt & pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium or medium-low and simmer for 35-45 minutes. Taste broth and adjust seasonings.  Add in potatoes and cook 10 minutes.  Add in carrots and cook another 10 minutes.  Then stir in the frozen vegetables and cook another 10 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender (but not mushy).  Serve with crusty rolls or french bread and dip it into the broth.  Yum.